Newbie Pump/Filter question

[Bengbeng]

Been successful with keeping panther chameleons and now am expanding into frogs/toads. After months of research (thanks especially to posts on this forum!), I have bought a medium tall Exo Terra terrarium.

The plan over the next few months is to get it set up and working before introducing any frogs or toads (I am thinking of either red eyed tree frogs or fire bellied oriental toads). Using clay balls covered in gravel tidy (mesh), then coconut/tree fern mix as substrate - it will be naturally planted as I have always done with the chameleons. Have also got a great piece of bark for a waterfall, and am going for the external fogger from zoo Med.

In the middle of the set up will be a small pool that is fed by the waterfall. Have spent days googling about the best filter/pump system and all the great ideas seem to be from people who like to build their own from scratch. While I may be good with herps and plants I am rubbish with DIY!!

So, essentially I am looking for some advice as to the best pumps/filter systems on the market - internal or external, although I am probably veering towards external for ease of access when cleaning/doing any maintenance. Ideally want the pieces to be off the shelf as it were (not lots of components from DIY stores I would have to make myself), and any other set-up tips would be very welcome.

Waterfall/pump/filter tips for dummies as it were :P

Many thanks in advance

[J Teezy]

you want the pump to be external? Well here's what you need to think about with that. The pump is most likely going to need to be submerged in water, so with that in mind, how are you going to get the water from inside the tank back outside the tank into a reservoir of some kind where your pump is? Are you going to drill the tank to provide a drain line?

Now ways you could do it is with something like a small canister filter

something like this Tom Aquatics Tom Rapid Mini Canister Filter C-80 : Canister Filters

but with a canister filter you have to maintain a certain water level to get the intake to suck the water out into the filter and then back to the tank

without drilling your tank having an external pump is a task to achieve imo. Your better off just sticking a pump down in your hydroton layer, but remember you need to keep the water level up to a point where the pumps intake is covered with water (for submersible pumps)

[Bengbeng]

Ah thanks for that - then internal submerged is going to work better for me and the frog/toads. I need to instal the pump and filter in a way that i can gain access easily should it need maintenance, but also protected in ways that ensures the creatures cannot get stuck in it right? Are there any makes/models that seem to work better than others? Thanks again in advance